When you apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), you must name the right person or organisation as the respondent. If the details are wrong, your case can be delayed or the order may be hard to enforce.

 

Alert

If the business or company is bankrupt or in liquidation, you should not apply to NCAT. An application made against a bankrupt or liquidated business or company may not be enforceable. For more information see When a business goes bust on the ACCC website. If you are unsure, you should get legal advice about your options. 

Check your paperwork

 You need to check your paperwork to see who your application should be made against. You can do this by:

  • looking at your receipt, invoice, contract, or email confirmation

  • checking the business website or quote if you have one.

Work out what type of business it is

If your matter is against a business, you must work out who owns the business. The respondent will be the owner of the business. A business could be owned by a: 

  • sole trader (one person)

  • partnership (two or more people)

  • company (for example, “Pty Ltd”).

If the respondent is a sole trader or a partnership, you must list the respondent as the individual business owner or the partners trading as their business name. 

For more information see Identify the party that owes you money.

Get an ASIC extract 

You need to attach an ASIC extract to your NCAT application. 

To get a business name search, see Business names register on the ASIC website. 

To get a company search, see Company and organisation registers on the ASIC website.  

For more information, see Applications about a business or company on the NCAT website. 

Last updated: June 2026

Your rating will help us improve our website.